How to stay creative during lockdown
In a typical winter, maintaining motivation and creativity when the days get shorter and the darkness creeps in so early, can be a challenge. Throw in a second lockdown (thanks for that, Boris) and that challenge grows tenfold. Finding the energy to stay upbeat and being productive each day can seem like an impossibility. And that’s ok. It’s ok to have duvet days when you need them. It’s ok to strip back any pressures you put on yourself to “achieve” during a lockdown. You don’t need to develop that new hobby or start a side hustle or read 100 books or clean out your wardrobe. The only thing you need to do is do one thing each day that keeps you moving forward. Some days that one thing might be as simple as just getting out of bed! We wanted to share our Vault Coaching top tips on ways to spark some fun and help you break out of any mental or physical ruts you may be facing right now.
Music
Make your favourite song your new alarm - being woken up to a song that makes you feel happy is a winning start to the day
Create a fun playlist to sing in the shower with - sing loud and proud. Making mundane tasks like showering a little more tuneful will put a spring in your step
Turn your kitchen into a dance floor every time you cook - once that laptop closes, boogying into the evening, even on your own, can make you feel GREAT
Painting/Drawing/Colouring/calligraphy
You don’t have to be a Van Gogh getting arty. It’s known to reduce stress, use a different part of your brain and promote your creativity. Get prepped for Christmas by decorating some ornaments, making your own Christmas cards to send to friends and family, design yourself a 2021 calendar or even do a simple painting by numbers. Remember, this isn’t for anybody but YOU. Nobody needs to see your creations!
Send snail mail
Never underestimate the power of real life mail. Send out some thank you notes to those that have helped you get through this year. Spreading the love and encouraging those that matter to you to feel the gratitude you have for them, will make you feel great too
Get your photos printed
We’re all guilty of keeping our photos locked away on our phone. Go through your image library and get some of your favourites from the year printed out. Pop them into frames and rejig your gallery walls or create albums to recap the year.
Cocktail making (with or without the booze)
Creating fun, tasty new drinks at home makes you feel like a professional bartender. And they don’t need to have alcohol in to have fun! Alcohol-free spirits are coming out in abundance at the moment and they’re good. Really good.
Get fancy
Organise a fancy dress date night / evening with friends (either in person if it conforms to government directive or via Zoom). For my 30th birthday I did a Zoom call with my closest girlfriends and had everyone dress as their alter ego. It was super fun!
Try a blind friend date
Reach out to someone not very close to you (ie your cousin's flatmate, a friend's sibling, a neighbour to your parents) and ask them for a walk or to grab a takeaway coffee. It might seem a bit random but meeting new people, especially this year, can be really special. You don’t have to become best friends - just enjoy the art of getting to know someone and build your confidence in conversation.
Practice mindfulness
This is a great website with TONS of talks/groups/meditations around MINDFULNESS. It helps to become more in touch with our present experience. Browse through to see if anything peaks your interest!
Go on a guided meditation walk
Listen to a guided meditation walkthrough whilst out on your daily walk. Don’t look at your phone. Breathe. Take in your surroundings.
Break your autopilot routine
You can spark creativity just by switching up your morning/evening routine. Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand to usual or getting a new coffee mug and drink it with the opposite hand. Re-organise your kitchen/bathroom so it looks different to normal. Make your day-to-day feel that little bit different.
We challenge you to try at least 2 things to get you out of your rut. Share your experiences with #vaultchallenge.
Need help with finding direction? Book in your complimentary 30-minute discovery call to find out how coaching could help bring change to your life.